Cable laying machine



May 11, 1948.

' R. J. KENT CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 wmswro/v R. J. KENT BV ATTORNEY.

May 11, 1948. R. J. KENT I CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR R: J. KENT ATTOR/VEP May 11, 1948. KENT CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR R. J. KENT BY A TTORNEV R. J. KENT 2,441,153

CABLE LAYING MACHINE May 11, 1948.

Filed April 11, 1944 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. J. KENT BY Quwzu. 7%

A T TORNEY May 11, 1948. E 2,441,153

CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 97 95 1. 1 FIG. 6 34 .35 J0 92 as W.-

I I 'w\\\\\\\\ "a 0 gr qr g l I lNl/ENmR R. J. KENT 8V A TTORNEV May 11, 1948. R. J. KENT I CABLE LAYING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 m at INVENTOR R. J KENT 04am 6,. 1M

ATTORNEY Mayll, 1948. R. J. KENT CABLE LAYING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 11, 1944 lNl/ENTOR R. J. KENT ATTORNEY Patented May 11, 1948 CABLE LAYING MACHINE Robert]. Kent, Snmmit, N. J., casino: to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation oi New York Application April 11, 1944, Serial No. 580,567

3 Claims. (01. 111-5) 1 2 This invention relates tocable or wire laying The wire line in some cases may comprise sevmachines and more particularly to cable or wire eral lengths of wire connected in end-to-end relaying plows operable to lay a cable or a wire lation by means of electrical connectors or the line in the ground. ends may be connected by splicing. It is often An object of the invention is to provide an ima desideratum to bury portions of the wire line proved plow for laying a cable or wire below beneath the surface of the ground without disthe surface of the ground. I rupting the electrical communication facilities One feature of the invention resides in a novel already established and without disturbing the form of plowshare which is operable to lay the points where portions of the wire line is connected wire below the surface of the ground. or where the wire line is elevated on poles or ex- Another feature resides in the supporting tended through streams or culverts. means for the plowshare. The plow embodied in this invention provides Another feature resides in a system of sheaves a ready nc -H for layin a wire or a plurality carried on the plow and operable to guide the of wires under ground and is found particularly wire to the plowshare. l5 useful in burying a wire line or portions thereof In the drawings: after the wire line has been initially laid out on Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the plow embodythe ground surface.

ing the invention; The plow is constructed and arranged so that Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but a wire may pass downwardly through the plowshowing the opposite side of the plow; share and into the ground while the plow is op- Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but with crating to plow the ground. The wire may be the chassis lowered and the plowshare extending readily inserted in the plowshare or removed into the ground; therefrom without cutting the wire or without Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the plowshare and disturbing any of the connectors or any parts parts associated therewith and with one of the of the wire line not required to be buried beparts of the plowshare removed from its normal neath the ground surface. position; As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the plow com- Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the plowshare and prises a chassis il mounted on rear wheels it its supporting means and with the plowshare and I9 and front wheels 20 and 25. The rear swung upwardly from its normal position and ex- 80 wheels I8 and is are of larger iameter than th tending rearwardly of the chassis of the mafront wheels 20 and 2! and are mounted on .chine; spindles 22 and 23, respectively, supported in and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the Projecting f m he n s of & h l d X1 ployv and shows the coulter and the supporting N w ich t ds across t chassis i1 d is means for the coulter; rotatably supported in bearings 25 mounted on Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but with the chassis ll. The axle 24 is? equipped with an the coulter and the chassis in lowered position arm 26 which is in mechanical connection with relative to the position shown in Fig.6; a mechanism 2! involving a handle 28 through Figs. 8 and 9 are rear and front views respecthe operation of which the axle 24 may be rotively of the plow; and tated to raise and lower the chassis ll relative to Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the forward and the wheels l8 and Hi, all of which is more or rear portions of the plow together with a sheave less standard to agricult r plows and does not mounted on the forward portion and guiding a form any part of the present invention. Located cable from the ground surface to a position for on the forward portion or the plow and between feeding the cable to the plowshare. the wheels 20 and 2| is a rotatable coulter 29 to In some cases in order to quickly establish elecinitially score the ground ahead or the plowtrical communication facilities between distant share. The coulter 29 may be raised and lowpoints a wire line is run from one station to ancr d relative to the chassis ll by peration of a other by simply laying the wire line on the surlever system involving the lever 30.

face of the ground wherever it is convenient. The wheels l8 and I8, as shown in Figs. 8 and At some points the wire line may be extended 9, are equipp w h paced plates ii and "carthrough culverts to pass under roads. At other rying spaced pins 33 which may be engaged by points the wire line may be elevated on poles hooks 34 or 35 provided on pivotally supported to extend the wire line across a water course or bars 36 normally'held against operation by means the wire line may be laid in the bed oi a stream. 66 of springs 31. The bars 38 are mounted on aloop-shaped handle 85.

shaft 88 andoneofthebars38.asshownin1"igs. 2 and 3, is equipped with a handle 88 through the manual operation of which the bars 88 may be pivotally moved so that the hooks 84 or 38 will engage the pins 33 to hold the wheels I! and I8 against forward rotation. when the hooks 34 or 85 are moved into holding engagement with the pins 38 the rotation of the wheels l8 and It causes the chassis "to be pulled forwardly and upwardly with respect to the axes of the wheels |8 and I8.

A plowshare 48 is carried on the rear portion of the chassis H to plow the ground and deposit a wire below the surface of the ground. The plowshare 48 comprises a hollow standard 4| having an enlarged lower end 42 to which afoot 43 is secured. The rear of the standard 4| is open to provide a gateway through which a wire may be moved laterally into the standard 4 I the gateway being defined by side walls of the standard 4|, The foot 48 is channel-shaped in cross-section. The forward end of the foot48 is provided with a blade 44 to plow the ground when the plowshare 48 is correctly positionedto perform this function. The forward portion of the standard 4| is provided with a beveled'shin .48 to cooperate with the blade 44 in plowing the ground. The rear portion of-the foot 43 is open and is notched as shown at 48 to receive a cross pin 41 on the lower end of a removable gate 48 which is normally carried by the standard 4|. The gate 48 when mounted on the standard 4| fits between the spaced side walls 48 and 88 of the standard 4| and substantially fills the pace between the side walls 48 and 88 at the rear of the standard 4|. The gate 48 in cooperation with the walls 48 and 58 of the standard 4| forms an enclosure through which the wire passes during the laying of the wire below the surface of the ground.

In Fig. 4 the structure of the gate 48 is clearly shown, the gate 48 being removed from the standard 4|. As shown in this figure the gate 48 comprises a blade-like body having a widened lower end portion 82 and a curved edge portion 53 which conforms to the shape of a J-shaped edge strip 54 which is of suflicient length and width to substantially close the opening in the back of the standard 4|, The edge strip 54 is secured to the curved edge of the body 5| and is extended above the top of the body 5| and formed to provide a The lower end of the edge strip 84 is continued slightly beyond the rear edge of the body 5| and is turned upwardly to provide a curved heel 58 On the lower end of the gate 48. A cross pin 51 is provided on the upper end of the body 8| and below the handle 55. The lower end of the body 5| is apertured at 58 to receive a nut or the head ota bolt so that the gate 48 may be used as a wrench when the gate 48 is removed from the plowshare 48.

The standard 4| of the plowshare 48 is suspended from a support 58 and is secured thereto by means of bolts 88 or other suitable fastenin means.. The support 58 comprises two plates 8| and 82 apertured to receive the bolts 88 and held in parallel spaced relation according to the thickness of the standard 4|. Supported on the lower rear corners of the plates 8| and 82 are plates 83 and 84, respectively, each of which has a notch 88 formed therein to receive the cross pin 51 provided on the gate 48. It will be seen, therefore, that the gate 48 is held in place on the rear portion of the plowshare 48 when the cross pin 41 on the lower end of the gate 48 is in the notches 48 on the foot 48 and the cross pin 51 on the gate 48 is in the notches 88 on the plates 88 and 84.

To normally hold the gate 48 in required position on the plowshare 48 and to enable quick removal of the gate 48 from the plowshare 48 a releasable latch and gate lifting device 88 is provided. The device 88 comprises a lever 81 and a tumbler 88. The lever 81 is pivotally supported on a bolt 88 which extends through .an aperture in the lever 81 and through apertures in the plates 8|, 82, 83 and 84. The lever 81 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 has a toe portion 18 extending beyond the pivotal point of support 01 the lever 81 and so that the toe portion 18 will normally extend above and in engagement with the cross pin 81 of the gate 48 to hold the cross pin 51 in the notches 85 and thus prevent upward movement of the gate 48 relative to the plowshare 48. A spring 1| is provided to normally hold the lever 81 against pivotal movement from this position, the spring 1| being secured at one end to the lever 81 at a point 12 above the pivotal point of support of the lever 81 and being secured to its other end to a bracket 13 mounted on the plate 82 by means of a bolt 14.

The lever 81 may be pivotally moved against the action of the spring 1| by manually pulling on a chain 15 in the required direction. One end of the chain 15 is secured to the upper end of the lever 81 and the other end of the chain '15 is secured to the handle 55 of the gate 48.

The tumbler 88 is U-shaped and the closed end portion is apertured and pivotally mounted on a bolt 18 which extends through apertures in the plates 8|, 82, 83 and 84. The tumbler 88 is supported in parallel relation with the outer face of the plate 82 and has one leg member 11 extending into abutting relation with a forward edge of the toe portion 18 of the lever 81. The other leg member 18 of the tumbler 88 is longer than the leg member 11 and normally extends below and past the base of the notch 85 in the plate 82 and directly under and in engagement with the cross pin 51 on the gate 48. When the lever 81 is pulled against the action of the spring 1| the toe portion 18 causes upward pivotal movement of the tumbler 88 so that the gate 48 is moved upwardly by means of the leg member 18. The tumbler 88 has sufficient range of pivotal movement to lift the gate 48 to a suflicient extent to bring the cross pins 41 and 51 out of the respective notches 48 and 85 when the lever 81 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 4. In this figure the gate 48 is entirely removed from the plowshare 48 and the Plow has been moved away from the gate 48.

The support 58 is located on the rear of the chassis i1 and is secured by means of bolts-18 and 88 to a flanged and apertured mounting plate 8| which isclamped-to a sternpost 82 by means of flanged clamp plates 83 and 84 which are held in clamping engagement with the stempost 82 by means of bolts 85 and 88. The sternpost 82 is mounted on the rear of the chassis 11 and slopes upwardly and rearwardly of the chassis IT. The clamp plates 83 and 84 have frictional engagement with the sternpost 82 and the support 59 may be moved upwardly or downwardly when the bolts 85 and 88 are loosened. It will be seen, therefore, that the plowshare 48 and its support 59 may be raised and lowered on the thechassisll In some wire laying'iobs'in which the plow of this invention is used in laying the wire or cable .beneath the surface of the ground 99'and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a supply of the wire 99 is carried on a rotatable reel 9| supported on reel supports 92 which are mounted on the forward portion of the chassis II. In this case the wire 99 is led from the reel 9| and over sheaves 99 and 94 suitably supportedon the plow, the sheave 99 being supported on an upright 95 extending upwardly from the chassis I1 and the sheave 94 being supported on a rod 99 extending upwardly from the rear portion of the plow. After passing through the sheave 94 the wire 99 extends'dowm wardly through the hollow space in the standard H and into the channel provided in the foot 49.

' The wire 99 is then led outwardly through the back of the foot 43 as shown in Fig. 2. In order to extend the wire 99 through the standard 4i and into the foot 49 it is not necessary to thread the wire 99 through these parts since the gate 48 may be removed fromthe plowshare 49 to open the back of the plowshare 49 for insertion of the wire 99 therein. After the wire 99 has been placed within the plowshare 49 the gate 48 may be placed in the position shown in Fig. 2 to insure that the wire 99 will be fed through the plowshare 49 in the passage of the wire 99 from the storage reel 9| to the ground 89.

The plowshare 49 may be brought into engagement with the ground 89 :by operating the trip lever 91 which operates in a well-known manner in agricultural plows to operate the mechanism 21 to let the chassis II move downwardly relative to the wheels I8 and I9 to let the plowshare 49 enter the ground-and take a position below the surface of the ground 89 as shown in Fig. 3. When the plowshare 49 extends below the surface of the ground 99 as illustrated in Fig. 3, and

the plow is forwardly moved the wire to is laid below the surface of the ground 99.

The plow is usually drawn forwardly by means of a motor driven tractor or truck, not shown, but, which may be connected to the forward end of the plow by means ofa tow line, one end of which may be secured to a hook means 98 provided on the forward end of the chassis 11. When it becomes necessary or desirable to withdraw the plowshare 49 from the ground 89 the chassis Il may be raised relative to the wheels I8 and I9 by holding the wheels I8 and I9 against forward rotation while the chassis I1 is pulled forwardly. The wheels I8 and I9 may be held against forward rotation by means of the bars 98 which may be swung downwardly by manual operation of the handle 39 to bring the hooks 94 or 95 into holding engagement with the pins 99 carried by the wheels I8 and I9. When the wheels l9 and I9 are held against forward rotation by means of the bars 36 andthe chassis I1 is moved forwardly and upwardly in the well-known manner, semicircular cams 99 provided on the bars 99 are moved into engagement with the pins 99 to cause the bars 99 to swing upwardly to release the hooks 94 or 35 from engagement with the pins 99. The springs 91 return the bars 99 to their normally raised position when the hooks 94 or 95 are withdrawn from the pins 99.

In the operation of burying the wire 99 a certain point may be reached where it becomes necessary or desirable to release the wire 99 from passage through the plowshare 49 in order that a new length or wire m, be coupled to apreviously laid length or in order that a portion of the wire line may be extended above the surface of the ground or extended through a culvert, a stream or strung on poles to cross an area where underfrom the plowshare 49 to let the wire 99 come entirely out of the plowshare 49 as shown in Fi 4. Release of the gate 49 from the plowshare 49 is accomplished by manually applying a pull to the chain 19 to pull the lever 91 rearwardly of the plow. When a backward pull is applied to the leverl'l the toe portion 19 of the lever 91 is removed from engagement with the cross pin 91 on the gate 49 and operates the tumbler. 99 to lift the gate 49 sufficient to remove the cross pins 41- and 51 from the notches 49 and 95, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4. The gate 49 may be left holding a portion of the wire 99 in the ground while the plow is moved forwardly a short distance allowing the wire 99 to come entirely out of the plowshare 49 through the opening made in the rear of the plowshare 49 by removal of the gate 49. In order toagain place the wire 99 in the plowshare 49 the plow is operated to raise the plowshare 49 out of the ground 89,"the wire 99 is then replaced in the plowshare 49 and the gate 49 is placed in position to close the opening in the back of the plowshare 49.

The depth of plowing may be adjusted in a well-known manner by suitable adjustment of the position of a nut I99 in the mechanism 21 to change the distance the nut I99 may move in one direction before it engages the upright 99 to limit the backward and downward movement of the chassis I'I relative to the wheels I9 and I9. The

serted in the plowshare 49 so that upon operation of the plow the wire 99 will be deposited below the surfaceof the ground at the desired points.

' In this case the wire 99 may be led over the sheaves 99 and 94 to at first elevate the wire and then feed it downwardly through the plowshare 49, the wire 99 then coming out through the rear of the foot 49 and below the surface of the ground 89. v

In Fig. 10 a sheave I9I equipped with a guide I92 is provided to elevate the wire 99 in its passage from the surface of the ground 99 to the sheaves 99 and 94. The sheave I9I may be constructed so that it may be mounted on the reel support 92 and arranged so that it will guide the wire 99 from a position alongside the plow to the sheave 94, the wire 99 having been previously laid on the surface of the ground 99 in a line substantially parallel to the desired line of underground laying of the wire 99.-

What is claimed is: 1. A plow for laying a wire beneath the sur face of the ground comprising a hollow plowshare having a gateway through which the wire may be inserted in the plowshare, a removable gate supported on the plowshare and closing the gateway, a releasable latch engaging said gate to normally hold said gate on the plowshare and .a

tumbler engaging said latch and saidgate as operable by means of said latch to lift said gate relative to said 'plowshare to permit withdrawal of said gate from said plowshare,

2. A plow for laying a wire beneath the surface ,0! the ground having a plowshare comprising a hollow standard formed to provide a gateway through which the wire may be laterally moved to insert the wire in said standard and withdraw the wire therefrom, a mounting for said standard and having notches formed therein, a hollow foot on said standard through which the wire may be longitudinally moved to withdraw the wire from-the plowshare, said foot havingnotches formed therein, a removable gate to close the gateway in said standard, crosspins mounted on said gate and engageable in the notches in said 8 share having a gateway through which the wire may be inserted in the plowshare, a removable Sate supported on the plcwshare and closing the gateway, a releasable latch engaging said gate to normally hold said gate on the plowshare, a

tumbler engaging 'said latch and said gate and operable by means oi said latch to lift saidgate relative to said plowshare to permit withdrawal 01' said gate from said plowshare, said plowshare audits associated latch and gate mechanism being pivotally and adjustably supported at the rear of said plow.

, ROBERT J. KENT.

asmanncas crrsn The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

tmrrrzn s'ra'ms rams Number Name a Date 1,520,825 Kinlaw Dec. 30. 1924 1,868,277 Kirby May 1, 1928 1,957,991 .Bloodworth May 8, 1934 2,139,212 Tonjes Dec. 8, 1938 2,210,792 Boor Aug. 6, 1940 2,254,324 Sjogren et al Seph 2, 1941 2,345,929 Freeman Apr. 4, 1944 

